Vegan Tomato Tuna Embarks on Global Expansion

Vegan brand Ocean Hugger Foods’ plant-based sushi will soon be available worldwide, including in Japan, where founder James Corwell was first inspired to create tomato-based “Ahimi” after witnessing the mass slaughter of endangered tuna.

New York-based brand Ocean Hugger Foods will soon expand distribution of its plant-based seafood products globally thanks to several new partnerships. Ocean Hugger Foods launched “Ahimi”—a tomato-based tuna alternative developed by founder James Corwell after he visited the Tsukiji fish market in Japan—in 2017 in the sushi cases of select Whole Foods Markets, before expanding the offering to 40 locations of the grocery chain in May. Ocean Hugger Foods new food service partners, Aramark and Bon Appėtit Management Company, will begin distributing Ahimi through their channels which include school and office cafeterias such as those at Google’s California headquarters. Further, the brand partnered with Japan-based wholesaler Nishimoto Trading Company (which distributes its products as Wismettac in the United States) which will help distribute its plant-based offerings worldwide. The brand plans to launch new plant-based products—such as carrot-based salmon alternative “Sakimi” and eggplant-based eel replacer “Unami”—which it will fortify with algal oil to deliver the omega-3 DHA consumers seek from fish.

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